Original Post
Anyone read anything about quantum computers and quantum encryption? Seems that sometime in the future quantum computers will become practical enough to crack the encryption systems we use today like RSA, [conspiracy]or maybe the NSA''s already done this[/conspiracy].
So I read that quantum encryption will be the new thing, where a one time pad is agreed between 2 people by playing with photon polarizations, and it''s physically impossible (or at least sufficiently improbable) to intercept successfully. Yay for cryptography it seems.
But surely there''s a big problem here. To use quantum encryption to talk to someone you need a dedicated link to them (i.e. a special fibre optic cable or two tranceivers pointing at each other). Now how are you suppost to order stuff off amazon or something? Point your dish at their HQ?!
Clearly it doesn''t work. You can''t send secure data across a general purpose data link like the internet anymore, because the encryption system isn''t an algorithm operating on just the data like it is today.
Result? The only people who will be able to use quantum encryption will be governments, banks, other big permenant entities who can have dedicated quantum encryption links between each other. Everyone else is scewed when it comes to assured privacy/security.
Imagine if the whole palladium/TCPA thing did get "hijacked" by the record/movie industry in the next few years. We''ll all be buying music and movies protected with current encryption systems, then along come quantum computers capable of breaking it all (no bad thing IMHO) and there''s no replacement solution.
I was a bit depressed at first when I read about quantum encryption being unbreakable, no more problem would be no fun! Seems we''ve got a lot more fun in store though...